The Missing Piece of the Great Commission

By Don Wilson

A Note from the Publisher 

Don and Sue Wilson have accomplished more in church growth than any other leaders in the Restoration Movement. That’s a big boast and it’s not his, but mine as I think about the story of Christ’s Church of the Valley in the Phoenix area. What started as a church meeting in Don and Sue’s home grew to the largest, fastest growing, most evangelistic in terms of baptisms, and the most outreach-oriented church in our movement and continues to be a flagship church for all evangelical churches.  

A few months ago, Allison and I had the privilege of spending some quality time with Don and Sue, good friends and mentors for us. While Allison and Sue were talking together, my conversation with Don focused on the distinctives of each of our movement’s conferences and the need for greater cooperation between them. I pointed out that in Matthew 28, Jesus lays out his prescription for the making of a disciple using three participles in the Greek; going, baptizing, and teaching. I reflected on how ICOM emphasizes the going, particularly outside the United States; how Spire emphasizes baptizing, networking, and best practices for growth—particularly in the American church—catalyzing a movement of growing churches; and how Renew emphasizes teaching through effective discipleship practices, publishing, and church planting. After I shared my thoughts, Don responded that I had missed something in the Great Commission. When I challenged him, he said, “to obey everything I have commanded you.” What followed was a discussion on the disconnect in the American church between the awareness of Jesus’ teaching and commands, and our willingness to walk them out in daily obedience. I asked Don to write about his thoughts and share them with Christian Standard.  

Jerry Harris 

Every pastor feels the constant pressure to be successful in the eyes of the congregation, among their peers, and even in the eyes of the unchurched community. This is usually measured by increasing the three B’s: baptisms, budget, and bodies in the seats. 

In my opinion, we must always ask ourselves how Jesus defined success. As he ascended into heaven, he left his disciples with these instructions. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, New International Version). 

The Mission of Jesus 

The mission of Jesus was to go and make disciples. The great commission of making disciples is through baptism, teaching, and obedience. It appears to me that something is missing in the American church today when it comes to making disciples. There is often little difference in the lifestyles of those who attend church and claim to be followers of Jesus and those who don’t. I don’t see real transformation taking place in the lives of many who say they want to follow Christ. 

Could it be that we have departed from the pattern given to us by Jesus? Today’s model for the church is to pay the pastor to preach weekly to us from the Bible. Of course, he and/or an executive pastor hires and develops a staff to provide great programs for all ages of the congregation. The pastor also encourages the members to go and invite their friends and neighbors to join them at the weekend experience and enjoy the same programs. It appears to me that by following this model, the church has developed a culture of consumers and spectators instead of contributors and disciples. 

A Call to Obedience 

I believe the missing piece of the Great Commission is obedience. When was the last time you heard a message challenging our responsibility to obey the commands of Jesus? Jesus made obedience critical in teaching his disciples. 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven but only the one who does (obeys) the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). 

Confession of our need for the salvation that Jesus offers is not enough to get to heaven. Faith in him alone must be followed by application of spiritual truth to our daily living. At the end of Jesus’ great teaching in Matthew 5-7, he said these words. 

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house: yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash (Matthew 7:24-27). 

Your Christian life cannot survive the storms of life no matter how many sermons and Bible studies you listen to unless you put those biblical principles into action (obey). 

• In Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus told a parable about two sons. Obedience is what he wanted from both sons. 

• In John 8:31 Jesus challenged his disciples to hold on to his teaching. 

• In John 14:15 Jesus told his disciples that if they loved him, they should keep his commands.  Faith cannot be separated from obedience. 

The book of James reminds us that we cannot separate faith from obedience. James 1:22 tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 2:17 says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.” Jesus modeled obedience for us when he went to the cross. It was not what he wanted to do, but he was being obedient to what his Father asked him to do. 

Rediscovering the Missing Key 

I believe obedience is the missing key to the Great Commission that unlocks the blessings of God and brings about transformation. Without obedience we will never move our people who come to church from consumers to contributors. They will go to church consistently, but will find it difficult to be the church where they work and where they live. 

I want to give you three observations from working with pastors and visiting churches over the past few years. I am so thankful for the increase in baptisms in many of our churches. However, I rarely hear mention of repentance. Baptism without repentance rarely brings about transformation. 

I spent several days last year with international disciple makers. They talked about the difference between teaching and training. Teaching, they said, inspires and informs but rarely transforms. Training, they said, gives you a skill which you must put into action. Teaching without training rarely brings about transformation. 

Preaching usually contains one or more of these three challenges to the congregation: what you should know, what you should feel, and what you should do. It seems to me that in the sermons I hear, there is a much higher priority placed on knowing or feeling than on doing. 

Preaching without a challenge to do something (application) rarely brings transformation. 

As I was talking with a man who has observed disciple-making movements all over the world, I asked him what the key was to their fulfillment of the Great Commission. He said we train them to do three things: 

• Read the word of God consistently. 

• Pray to God differently. Their prayers include 15-30 minutes a day listening to God’s voice and what he impresses them to do. 

• Obey God completely. They put into action what they believe God has told them to do. 

So as those who have been charged with carrying out the Great Commission to go to all the world making disciples, let’s remember that baptizing and teaching is not complete if obedience is not also taught and modeled by those who claim to follow Jesus. 

Don Wilson is retired senior pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona. He continues a ministry of writing, speaking, and consulting.